Headcoverings, and specifically hats, are primarily used to provide protection for the head against the elements and serve to compliment the fashion of the wearer's apparel.
Headcoverings in the prior art have frequently been designed to serve a secondary function. The secondary function frequently gives the hat unique characteristics that serve a specific need. This may cause a head covering to have more appeal as a novelty item or to direct its usefulness towards a specific market.
An early example of a hat that serves a secondary function is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 1,422,435--Gooding. In this invention, a hat that was stylish in its day had a pocket with a flap that snapped closed within the crown of the cap. The pocket was just large enough to carry a small article, such as a key, placed within it. In this particular instance, a secondary function performed by the pocket did not add to the style of the cap or appeal to a particular novelty interest of a potential market.
A second example of a hat with a secondary function is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 1,869,652--Baker. In this invention zippers were placed on the top of the crown portion of a hat. These zippers opened up into a pocket formed within the lining of the hat in which items could be stored. The patent discloses a secondary usefulness of the hat as being for storage of fishing items, such as hooks, bobs, and flys. The secondary function of this hat is particularly aimed at a specific market, that being for fishermen, and has claims directed to the existence of a compartment within the crown as well as the usefulness of this compartment for fisherman.
More recently, patents dealing with head coverings that serve a secondary function have been directed to the casual or sportswear markets. Examples are U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,076--Gamm and U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,437--Fosher. In both these examples head coverings which could be generically described as ball caps are disclosed in which pockets or compartments are formed by some means within the lining of the cap. In Gamm the frontal portion of the crown has a segment of cloth partially sewn on the crown to form a pocket with the upper portion of the cloth serving as a flap that is held down by Velcro.RTM. or a snap. Small items can be stored within this portion of the crown. In Fosher a compartment is formed in the same location of the crown as disclosed in Gamm, but access to this interior pocket is by a different means. The fashioning of the materials in Fosher to form the interior pocket yields a more rigid fontal portion of the cap and access is achieved through the bottom of the cap in the hat band area.
All of the above inventions serve in one manner or another to use a hat for the secondary function of storing small articles. Once these articles are stored, they are free to move about within the storage area of the hat, thus shifting the hat's center of gravity and causing it to be more likely to move about on the wearer's head or fall off his head altogether. Larger bulkier articles can cause protrusions into the hat and make the hat uncomfortable to wear. None of these head coverings are designed to securely retain the articles that are carried or prevent the movement of the articles within the pockets of the head covering.